Political Ugliness and More About That Mosque

I won’t even begin to start a list of the towns and cities, as it would take me too long to just remember them — much less write them down.

And with each place I’ve lived, I eventually start thinking that it is the most corrupt place I’ve ever seen — until I move to the next place.

It’s not news any more, really.  From the White House through the Legislature and the state governors down to the mayors and city council and even the dog catchers (do places really have elections for dog catchers?) power corrupts and money flows to the corrupt politician.

Yet it is unfair to jump to the conclusion that all politicians are corrupt.  Not all bankers are embezzlers, not all attorneys are ambulance chasers, and not all politicians are on the take. (And not all doctors pass out Vicodin prescriptions to anybody who asks).

The public perception of politics as dirty makes it easy to smear someone.  A case in point would be our President — Barack Obama.

Recent news about former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was tried for allegedly attempting to sell the Senate seat vacated by Obama when he became president, and the 2008 trial involving federal charges of bribery and extortion against Tony Rezko, a real estate developer who was known in Illinois politics as a behind-the-scenes operator and fixer (and a personal friend of the President) are the types of things people who are against the President use to insinuate that our Commander In Chief is also corrupt.

Rezko’s problems arose mostly from contributions he solicited for Gov. Blagojevich, not for Pres. Obama.

Here is how you smear a man.  Here none other than a major network news is talking about what Obama has FAILED to talk about.

If I wanted to waste an entire lifetime, I’m sure I could come up with a huge list of things Obama has not talked about.  But I’m sure I won’t have to — there are obviously people out there with nothing better to do, and the financial backing to do it.

There are many people in this country who supported the candidate Obama as he campaigned on a platform of change.

There are some of those supporters who are upset by Pres. Obama for continuing many of the policies of the Republican party that he promised to change, and keeping many of the same people in office as the former Republican administration.

And even though I haven’t formally checked it — I’m sure that there have been other elected officials in the past who have not revealed the sources of all of their campaign funds.

A recent blog criticized the President for following “an inspiring, nonpartisan speech to veterans,” with another speech in “another room in THE VERY SAME BUILDING to unleash his inner attack dog at Republicans and raise a half million dollars.” (Capitals were present in the original material, I didn’t add them).

That’s Politics — and it’s not corrupt or illegal.  If the god Janus could have two faces, why can’t a mortal President?

Those who wish to tarnish our President and force him from office have a new and powerful tool — since that fake birth certificate thing hasn’t worked out for them — the proposed mosque to be built on the site of the destroyed World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City.

Talk about pushing the hot buttons of the populace!

There are rumors and innuendo and exaggeration and just plain lies flying so quickly and thickly, that it’s a wonder anybody can keep the facts straight.

First of all, President Obama did not propose that a mosque be built on “Ground Zero” — as the site is known.  He did not originate the idea or draw up the plans or ask anyone to work on such a project.

He was simply asked — in the normal course of meeting the press — what he thought about such a thing.

Being a good American and a scholar of the US Constitution, here is the President’s reply:

“Weighing his words carefully on a fiery political issue, President Barack Obama said Saturday that Muslims have the right to build a mosque near New York’s Ground Zero, but he did not say whether he believes it is a good idea to do so.”

In a breathless story headlined: “Mosque madness at Ground Zero” the New York Post (Owned by Fox News media mogul Rupert Murdoch) states: “A mosque rises over Ground Zero. And fed-up New Yorkers are crying, “No!”

Somebody has got to exonerate Obama on this mosque thing.  I mean besides the usual “Freedom of Religion” issues, there is so much about this project that is misinformation, disinformation and lies (to paraphrase Mark Twain).

The big lie — it’s not at “Ground Zero.”  Park51, originally named Cordoba House, is planned to be constructed about two blocks from the former World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan.  That’s about 600 feet or the length of 2 football fields (for you sports fans out there).  But it is a handy way to manipulate people and provoke hatred by saying “They’re gonna build a mosque on Ground Zero!”

Oh — and it’s not designed as a mosque.  It’s technically a “Cultural Center.”  Some services planned for the Cordoba House, such as the restaurant and performance center, disqualify it from being a mosque (which is specified as a structure used purely for religious reasons).

The facility’s design includes a 500-seat auditorium, theater, performing arts center, fitness center, swimming pool, basketball court, childcare area, bookstore, culinary school, art studio, food court and a September 11 memorial.

What about religious rites?  The project is supposed to contain “prayer space that could accommodate 1,000–2,000 people.”  The official web site says that this will be open to the public, no matter what religious affiliation.

Contrary to claims that the site of this structure would be an insult to the families and the memory of those who died on that day, the Park51 building would not be visible from the future National September 11 Memorial and Museum that has been under construction since 2006 at the World Trade Center site, on the REAL “Ground Zero.”

A number of commentators stated that the Cordoba House builders planned either the groundbreaking or opening date to coincide with anniversaries of the September 11 attacks.  Those building this structure deny that any timeline has been set.

The building doesn’t even exist yet.  It consists of an architect’s rendering and some planning commission applications.

But remember this is an election year, and fanning the flames of Patriotism or hatred provides a nicely divisive campaign issue.  To this end, opponents try to make us believe that somebody sneaked into Lower Manhattan and erected a skyscraper overnight while we were sleeping.

Personally, I feel that whatever the motives for building Park 51 — perhaps an attempt to make amends for radical elements of one of the “big 3” religions of the world — the whole project shows incredible insensitivity.  The fact that some 9/11 survivors and their families approve of this project, and that some high-profile politicians (including the President) think that it is compatible with our culture of freedom and civil rights should be tempered by the overwhelming majority (68%) of people (New Yorkers as well as citizens throughout our country) who oppose even an inoffensive “cultural center” as a painful reminder of the worst disaster on American soil in our history.

Yes, rights are rights.  If the project goes through, I believe it will eventually become accepted as a landmark — the way we’ve adopted the Statue of Liberty (another gift from a foreign nation).  Short term — negative, long term — positive.
 
If the supporters win the right to go ahead with construction, it is legal and we have to let them.  Yes, we have to.

Even the ranking Democrat in the Senate, Harry Reid, gets this one confused:

“While respecting that Muslims have a First Amendment right to religious freedom, Reid “thinks this mosque should be built some place else,” his spokesman Jim Manley said Monday.”

You can’t take an oath to defend the constitution and then insist that the government suppress that right.

I had hoped somebody would see this idea rationally.  I am delighted and amazed to see the most accurate analysis of it come from Roger “Two Thumbs Up!” Ebert.  And I mean, Gadzooks, it is not even a movie.

The author, for whom I have a new and highly expanded respect, correctly cites the opinion of two New York Strippers as showing a better understanding of the U.S. of A and what makes it great than Harry Reid or Sarah Palin or any political pundit I have heard of who is polluting the airways with self-serving pseudo-politics meant only to generate fear and anger and hatred of certain politicians.

I may be spending what precious little social time I have hanging out with the wrong people. I am VERY tempted to look into stripping as a career, despite my lack of credentials.  These are the people who understand America.

Oh, and, Mr. Ebert — ummmm … how did you get to know these strippers, anyway?  Just askin’.